Large vs. Small Lectures in the Principles Course: The Dilemma of the Small Department.

Adams, Curtis H.; Britton, Charles R.

Research results show that there is little loss in student productivity when changing from small lecture classes to large sections in principles of economics courses. A large lecture section of a college level principles of economics course with undergraduate tutors providing personal assistance to students was compared with six classes of 35 to 40 students each. To measure change in economics knowledge and attitudes toward economics brought about as a result of the course, the Revised Macro Test on Understanding College Economics and the Questionnaire on Student Attitude toward Economics were administered to both the experimental and control sections. The large class out-performed the small classes in changes in economic knowledge. Previous research studies, with the exception of an earlier study done by the authors of this paper, have indicated that there is little difference in economic knowledge gained between large and small sections, but that generally a significant difference in attitude could be expected, i.e., students in large groups do not like economics. However, although student attitudes were slightly more negative in the large class, the differences were not statistically significant. (RM)